Council President Christina Archer and Council Member Doug Jones.

LEESBURG — Revisions were made to the proposed golf cart ordinance at the Leesburg Town Council meeting Monday, Oct. 14.

Town Attorney Vern Landis drafted the initial version. Landis was unable to attend the meeting, but Attorney Karin McGrath sat  in for him.

“Unfortunately we’ve had some issues in town,” said Council Member Doug Jones. “We’ve had some complaints of underage usage and that has sparked this whole ordinance thing.”

Jones initially said he was in favor of passing the golf cart ordinance as Landis wrote it.

Council President Christina Archer and Jones then discussed whether or not the ordinance should state that any driver of a golf cart must possess a valid driver’s license. 

Eventually, they agreed that a driver’s license is not a necessity; however, anyone driving a golf cart must be over the age of 16. 

“It’s not our intent to cause anybody any distress or any lack of transportation,” Jones said.

“Who is going to enforce this and how are we going to enforce it?” Leesburg Street Commissioner Craig Charlton asked.

Charlton expressed concern about how this should be handled since it involves minors.

“The thing I don’t like about it is when you enforce an ordinance like that on somebody under the age of 16, you’re dealing with somebody’s child,” Jones said. “I don’t like that part of it either. Unfortunately, I think the safety issue supersedes that issue.”

Jones suggested the best way to handle enforcement of the ordinance would be to ask the youth involved where they live and who their parents are, and then deal with the parents.

“I don’t like the fact that we have to do it at all, but the dangerous situation we’ve seen requires it,” said Jones.

McGrath said the provisions would be added to the proposal. Council members hope to have the final draft approved at next month’s meeting.

Derek Tenney of Tenney & Sons, Inc., Warsaw, said a technician from Covalen, Indianapolis, found that the system board for the main pump station is bad. A quote was sent in from Covalen for repairs. 

Because Council Vice-President Tom Moore was unable to attend tonight’s meeting, Council Member Doug Jones suggested tabling this issue.

“Well, we have two companies right now. Covalen and (D & D Electric, Warsaw) are both looking at it. I think we should probably wait on him,” Jones said. “Tom is our guy when it comes to the sewer system.”

“We need to determine who we’re going to have work on this,” said Jones. “We need to have one individual we can call when we have an issue and we need to decide who that’s going to be, but I think Tom needs to be involved in that process.”

Jones and Archer agreed to table this issue.

Archer then brought up the fee-for-service agreement through the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation. KEDCo Executive Director Alan Tio has recently been attending town council meetings requesting that each town contribute approximately 6 percent of their Economic Development Income Tax fund to KEDCo.

“He (Tio) gave a presentation at a previous meeting,” said Archer. “We’ve received at least a couple of additional notifications from him asking if we want to use his services.”

“After some discussion between Doug, Tom and myself, we really don’t feel the necessity,” Archer said. “For one thing, Mr. Tio’s first act of business was to determine needs. Recently, the Kosciusko Community Foundation held a meeting at the Methodist Church and a number of people attended that meeting and they did a full assessment of our needs.”

“I think our feeling is just that the Kosciusko Community Foundation can do as much or more for us and for free. So I’m of the opinion that we should work with them,” Archer said. 

 A motion was made and passed to not participate in the fee-for-service agreement with KEDCo.

The 2020 budget ordinance involving appropriations and tax rates was adopted. The budget showed five funds, including Rainy Day, General, Local Road and Street, Motor Vehicle Highway and Cumulative Capital totaling $273,269.

At the end of the meeting, Jones said he would like to recognize the passing of former sheriff Al Rovenstine. Jones said the town board wishes the Rovenstine family the best and are sorry for the loss of Rovenstine, who Jones described as “an  outstanding man, a very honorable man, a good guy.”

Other News:

• Trick or treat hours will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31.
• The Candelaria will be held Dec. 7.
• The next regular meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, at Leesburg Town Hall.